NCAA to name First Four basketball host city on Monday

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DBJ File Photo

A scene from the NCAA First Four at UD Arena this year.

Joe Cogliano

Senior Reporter- Dayton Business Journal

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The NCAA has confirmed that Monday is when we will know if the NCAA First Four games will stay in Dayton.

"University of Dayton officials have confirmed the announcement of First Four, Second/Third Round and Regional sites for 2016, 2017 and 2018 will occur on Monday, November 17 at Noon Eastern,"said Matt Farrell, LOC member. "The announcement will be streamed live on NCAA.com."

The DBJ reported earlier this week that the NCAA is planning to make a Final Four announcement on Friday and then "shift its focus to the other rounds," including the First Four, on Monday.

Related: Click here for photos of Day 1 of 2014 NCAA First Four in Dayton.

Related: Click here for photos of Day 2 of 2014 NCAA First Four in Dayton.

Three of the Buckeye State's biggest political names this week threw their support behind an effort to keep the NCAA First Four in Dayton.

In a letter dated Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Dayton, and U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D) and Rob Portman (R) came together to urge NCAA President Mark Emmert to keep the event at the University of Dayton through 2018.

The First Four, the opening round of the college basketball tournament, has been held at the University of Dayton Arena since its inception in 2011. For a decade prior to that, the NCAA kicked off the tournament at Dayton with a "play-in" game.

College basketball is a big deal for Dayton, as the First Four pumps millions of dollars into the local economy. Keeping the event here would be a major win for the region and getting additional rounds of the tournament would have an even bigger impact.

In addition to the financial benefit, the First Four provides international exposure to Dayton.